The death has occurred of Mary Cowen, the mother of politicians Brian and Barry Cowen.
Ms Cowen had been on dialysis for a number of years and was in her 80s when she passed away peacefully today.
She was respected as the matriarch of an Irish political dynasty.
Her husband, Bernard, or Ber as he was known to everybody, passed away back in 1984.
He was a TD and his 24 year old young son, Brian, took over from him in the Dáil when he won the by-election after his father’s death.
Mr Cowen rose to the top of politics, becoming Taoiseach in 2008, before resigning amid controversy as the country went into deep recession in 2011.
Barry Cowen is still a TD and was promoted briefly to Minister for Agriculture earlier this summer.
He was sacked by new Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, over a past drink-driving conviction and questions about the circumstances surrounding it.
Mrs Cowen had a third son, Christy, who runs the family pub in Clara, Offaly.
